Another venue closes down in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, USA. The rats keep running into my shoes. There is still throw up on the sidewalks. The area gets one step closer to being the Wal-Mart of creativity.

Glasslands was a venue dripping with history in the short term sense of the word. It was a venue where you could go to fall in love with a band. The venue itself was a work of art. You can glimpse out of the front door and see Manhattan. Not just across the river, but creeping into this DIY graveyard.

I attended near every night of the last month. Night after night I gathered my beaten camera gear knowing I would be up to see the sun rise. I downed whiskey or whatever it took to get me out the door. I was terrified every night. I was scared I wouldn’t have what it takes to be inspired. To take photos, that in my humble opinion, would catch the glorious dying breath of the venue.

There is a Charles Bukowski quote. “When the spirit wanes, form appears”. There wasn’t a night there when I felt like I was just doing my job. Just going through the motions makes me feel like I’m dying inside. It’s how I live a lot of life. As culture in Williamsburg crumbled around me, I died a little slower this last month. RIP Glasslands.

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About the Author

Dylan Johnson is a music photographer from Oklahoma living in Brooklyn, New York.